Enrollment
731
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Franklin, KY
Simpson Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Simpson Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 210540001435
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Simpson Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Kentucky schools.
- #5 of 6
- public schools in Franklin · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.6:1
- large classes for Kentucky
- 64.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Simpson Elementary School has class sizes larger than 72% of Kentucky schools. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Simpson Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Franklin, KY.
School address
District: Simpson County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210540001435 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.6:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.2%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
+8% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Simpson Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Simpson Elementary School
Simpson Elementary School is a higher-need, large elementary school in Franklin, Kentucky, enrolling 731 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 731 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 379 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #241.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Two or More (9%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 731 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Franklin's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lincoln Elementary School (463 students): Simpson Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.6:1 vs 14.9:1).
Simpson County also operates Franklin-Simpson High School (830 students) and Franklin-Simpson Middle School (662 students) alongside Simpson Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Simpson Elementary School compares
Simpson Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.6:1 | ▲ 9% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.2% | ▲ 8% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 731 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.6:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
731
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 8% above the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.6:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 72% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,670
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 731 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 76.5%
Two or More 8.6%
African American 7.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%
Asian 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 76.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.7, Simpson Elementary School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Simpson County, which includes Simpson Elementary School.
$12,670
Per student
-4%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.0%
State 47.9%
Federal 20.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Simpson Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin-Simpson High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Franklin-Simpson Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Franklin Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Franklin-Simpson High School West Campus | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Simpson Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 830
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 324
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 70
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
Similar elementary schools in Franklin
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~731 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Simpson Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Simpson Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Simpson County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Simpson Elementary School
How many students attend Simpson Elementary School?
Simpson Elementary School has 731 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Franklin, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Simpson Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Simpson Elementary School is 16.6:1, which is 9% higher than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Simpson Elementary School?
64.2% of students at Simpson Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Simpson Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Simpson Elementary School is White at 76.5% of enrollment, in Franklin, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Simpson Elementary School?
Simpson Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Simpson Elementary School rank among public schools in Franklin?
By Resource Investment Index, Simpson Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 public schools in Franklin, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Franklin on the city page.
Is Simpson Elementary School a good school?
Simpson Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of Kentucky schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Simpson County?
Besides Simpson Elementary School, Simpson County also operates Franklin-Simpson High School (830 students), Franklin-Simpson Middle School (662 students), and Lincoln Elementary School (463 students). See the Simpson County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.